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Fitchburg city council and school committee candidates discuss budget, opioid epidemic

By Elizabeth Dobbins, edobbins@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
10/17/2017 06:49:13 PM EDT

Fitchburg Ward 6 City Council candidates Heather De Jesus (left) and Elizabeth Walsh discussed the important issues during a debate, co-sponsored by the Sentinel & Enterprise and Fitchburg Access Television, held Monday at the FATV studio. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/CLIFF CLARK)

FITCHBURG -- City Council and School Committee candidates talked issues and solutions during debates co-sponsored by the Sentinel & Enterprise and FATV Monday night.

The full videos of the Ward 2, Ward 6 and School Committee debates can be watched on demand at the FATV website and on sentinelandenterprise.com.

School Committee incumbents Juana Escobedo LaRose, Jean LaBelle-Pierce and Peter Stephens and challenger Rosemary Reynolds discussed budgeting, the opioid epidemic's effect on students and the superintendent's performance. The four are running for three open school committee seats, each with a four year term.

Candidates were unified in their support for Superintendent Andre Ravenelle and praised his communication skills.

They also praised the school department's handling of students who have experienced trauma.

"We're talking about lives here," Reynolds said later adding "I like the initiatives, this social emotional learning."

Escobedo LaRose said social and emotional learning is and continues to be a focus in the district, citing a recent related collaborative program that the district recently joined.

LaBelle-Pierce agreed and said the district could work to build more of a network for families and grandparents.

The special education department has also stepped up to the challenge, Stephens said.

Though funding is "always a problem," he said the district has continued to fund extracurricular programs even in light of the Leominster school district's recent struggles.

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"We continue to keep our music, our athletics." Stephens "We are continuing to be a very comprehensive school system."

Reynolds said she would like to see the state and the city do more to fund the schools, but said she was happy every student at Fitchburg High School now has a school provided laptop and the district continues to pursue grant funding.

Escobedo LaRose said the district's relationship with Mayor Stephen DiNatale, who creates the city budget that determines school funding from municipal sources, has also been beneficial.

School administrators "have done a fantastic job spreading that money," as well, she said.

"We brought after school programs back to some of the schools through many grants and the annual gala and the support that comes from our community," she said.

When asked about funding challenges, LaBelle-Pierce spoke about the difficulties of meeting unfunded state or federal mandates and the district's dependence on grant dollars.

"Depending on grants scare me because these could go away," she said.

Among the city council candidates, perhaps no response was more varied than the prospective councilors' opinions on last year's reduction of Main Street to one lane.

Ward 6 council candidate Heather De Jesus said she was undecided on the change.

Fitchburg Ward 2 City Council candidates Paul Beauchemin (left) and Cheryl Maguy-Stewart, discussed the important issues during a debate, co-sponsored by the Sentinel & Enterprise and Fitchburg Access Television, held Monday at the FATV studio. (SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/CLIFF CLARK)

She mentioned both concerns about the traffic problems created by the set-up and potential funding benefits, which many don't know about.

"(It creates) more ... space and it opens us up for more grants both at a state level with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, but also at a federal level," she said.

Her opponent, Beth Walsh, said she wants to hear back on the study the city is currently conducting, but has heard both positive and negative responses from business owners.

"I would like to see what has happened in regards to the study and see where that takes us," she said.

De Jesus and Walsh are running for the council seat currently held by Jody Joseph, who is not running for reelection.

In the Ward 2 council race, incumbent Paul Beauchemin and challenger Cheryl Maguy-Stewart had opposing views on Main Street.

Beauchemin supports a two lane Main Street, meaning one lane in each direction. Maguy-Stewart is generally favorable to the one lane setup, but wants more information on how the traffic pattern works during the winter.

Maguy-Stewart spoke against raising taxes, but when it comes to road repairs she is in favor of placing a Proposition 21/2 override or debt exclusion on the ballot.

"I would send it to (voters) so they could make that decision," she said.

Beauchemin disagreed, saying an override or debt exclusion would open the door to more problems and he does not want it on the ballot.

"I think we ought to work and do the best we can with what we have," he said.

When asked about her frustrations with the city, Walsh said speeding should be addressed and discussed a recent traffic fatality on her road, Boutelle Street.

De Jesus said she is frustrated that "business development" seems more like a buzzword than action and she would like to see the city take better advantage of its "beautiful architecture."

The Sentinel & Enterprise and FATV plan to host a Ward 5 City Council debate at a later date.

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